The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-07-21
Heat O ID Harmony

| AMONG THE ROCKINGHAM DEMOCRATS
THE KIDS GATHER THE ''MossBACKs"
ON THE FIRST ROUND, AND THEN GET
SADLY EUCHERED.
ooh! everything is harmonious here
now, " said theIold political regulator OF the
Tenth Legion, when asked on Monday last
what would be the outcome of the Rock
ingham Democratic convention, which had
been called together to select new COM
mittee and elect delegates to the State
convention. There will be no effort to
turn Keezell out of the Craftsmanship. and
| think Win Liggett will go to the Senate
next fall without practical opposition"
Opposition in the Democratic party,
you mean, Judge?'
THE Republicans will vote for him, too
that's all understood.
"Of course, then, you concede the two
members of the Legislature to the Repub-
Leans, and will make no opposition to
their election?"
well, that part of the program re-
mains to be considered. But come up to
the meeting to- day, and you will see that
the Rockingham Democracy is sold.'
And to the meeting the representative
| Of the VIRGINIAN went. 1t was some
| little time after the announced hour and
after several vigorous ringlngs OF the
| Court House bell, ere Chairman KeeZell
| faced an audience sufficiently large to adj
dress it as my fellow Democrats of Rock
ingham7 Gradually. however, the ad-
herents of the kids and those of the
| ssmossbacks'' began to file in. Judge Har-
ris. the leader of the former, took his stand
| I'D close to the chairman and in full view
of the audience, whilst his lieutenants
| occupied various advantageous positions
throughout the crowd. DR.. Moffett, the
head spirit of the opposition, moved about
| it a restless kind of a way, as if he didn't
want to stay in one place long enough to
put your finger on him. His artillery,
however, was planted i'll the front, and
the wings were backed up with some
pretty keen political sharpshooters
AS chairman. Senator Keezell called the
meeting to order and explained its object
1st, to appoint Is delegates and alternates
to the. Roanoke convention, and then to
organize the County Committee and select
chairman. 1t was upon the latter SUBJ
ject that the East Rockingham statesman
grew eloquent. The onerous duties OF
position were dwelt upon with an earnest
ness that was appalling; the personal sacri-
fee it demanded. the judgment, talent,
nerve, heroism, ability, thorough under
standing of human nature, broad grasp,
and extended acquaintance with men and
affairs, were but a few of the qualifications
which the leader of the Rockingham
Democracy would require to enable his
party to have ghost of a show in the ap-
preaching canvass. The catalogue made
he various aspirants fairly tremble. Sur
render after surrender of ambition was
silently made, and with one accord all eyes
and all hopes were centered upon the
great and only one whose dem onstrated
abilities could alone stand the test. The
chairman had staked his fortune on big
bluff and won. The effect upon vaulting
ambition was so stunning that when the
victorious Senator announced the next
| business as the selection of a temporary
presiding officer. not man opened his
mouth to suggest q name. Finally one
rash sovereign submitted the name OF
Col. Geo. e. Deneale, but the venerable
leader of former days shrank from the
distinction, and an awful stiffness followed.
There was not one hand worthy to take
the helm, even for few minutes, and so
the Giant grasp of the Great Pilot held its
own. Chairman. Keezell then made an
other speech worthy of the man and the
occasion, and declared the meeting open
for business.
Instantly Judge Harris was on his feet
with a resolution, and almost as quickly
the call came for the regular order. But
the Judge was not to be downed in that
: way. He read the paper with becoming
JUNCTION and impressiveneSs. 1t proved to
, be a harmless commentator of the Presi
, dent, coupled with SO much rhetoric that
it was difficult to tell whether it had been
prepared by the kids" or the ''moss-
, backs.' There was a faint suspicion OF
recognition of favors, past and to come.
J and strong flavor of liberalism in the
t general composition. With great una
| nimity it was declared just what the
meeting had long sought the means of ex-
pressing, and the Judge smiled sweet
, and placid smile as he handed it to Secre-
l tary Kerr, to pe recorded in the minutes,
engrossed in red ink and forwarded to the
' man of Destiny as chart by which his
friends might be located when occasion
, should require disinterested advice from
prominent leaders Of the party in Vir-
ginia.
, The Judge has lost none Of that fore
t sight in political matters, which was so
| much part of him prior to his active
S retirement from official cares. He saw,
. and plainly saw that meeting without
f resolutions of some kind would never sat.
isfy the unwashed of the old Tenth. If a
f laundering hand assumed the management
2 of this part of the programme there might
be trouble ahead. The first thought Of a
kid would have been that inasmuch as
delegates to State convention were to be
| ClcCbCu, ~ ]ulSHU pOoOlUlJ AhfO pCOA PSAo
nent to make some allusion to State
affairs. In the innocence of his heart he
might even have touched upon the State
debt and kindred questions; and thus give
! the convention some indication of the
a sentiment Of the Valley Democracy. It
o was to forestate any such refreshing exhibit
ton that the Judges patriotic declaration
o was delivered and the effect was all that
q could have been desired. Nothing was
heard of resolutions after this prelimi-
nary outburst.
Meantime the leaders of the two wings
were champing the bit. The kids" ap-
:. peared the more confident At the first
e available opportunity, H. V. Strayer
u moved that the voters of each district
!, nominate delegates, alternates and COM
Y mitteemen for their respective sections,
S ! and then that the county chairman be
+ elected.
= DR.. Moffett moved to amend by electing
e the chairman first, and then the delegates.
9 AS the special friend and champion of the